PHWB Ethiopia - Meet the January 2015 Travel Team

In the fall 2014 semester, Public Health without Borders launched a new project in Ethiopia. With the help of two mentors who are working to build a collaborative outreach project between the agriculture colleges at University of Maryland and Debre Berhan University, PHWB students began planning for a January trip to Ethiopia.

Prior to leaving, the new Ethiopia PHWB team planned a needs and strengths assessment centering on issues of child malnutrition in the Amhara region. While the team wasn't sure how their goals and plans would change once they met their Debre Berhan public health collaborators, they were prepared to interview public health faculty and students, community leaders and members, extension workers, health workers, and other key stakeholders.

A group of six traveled to Debre Berhan, Ethiopia in January to explore the possibility of collaborating with Debre Berhan University faculty, staff, and students on a community outreach project:

Dominic Hosack is a first year PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland, College Park. His research interests center around nutrition, food security, and urban agriculture. He is currently a research assistant for the Community Health Awareness, Messages, & Prevention (CHAMP) lab.  In this role, Dominic is involved with various community-based participatory projects including a cancer screening program at African American churches in Prince George's County.  Dominic is also involved with Public Health Without Borders as a Graduate Mentor.  Lastly, Dominic is a member of the Maryland Community Research Advisory Board (MD-CRAB) and collaborates with community stakeholders to create evidence-driven and culturally appropriate interventions and research projects within Prince George's County.

Anthony Slaton is a third year undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park and serves as the Project Leader for PHWB Ethiopia.  He is majoring in Public Health Science with the aspirations of pursuing a medical degree once he graduates.  While he has always had a love for traveling, his first trip to Ethiopia has opened his eyes to the rewards of working in global health.  He cannot wait to return to Ethiopia to continue the work Public Health Without Borders is doing there.   

Jesse Wilson is a first year undergraduate studying biological science and Chinese. He plans to attend medical school after completing his Bachelor’s degrees. In the past, he has traveled around the United States and Spain. As he had only been to Africa once before on a day trip to Morocco, this trip was his first time to the Horn (of Africa), and he enjoyed every minute.

Jenni Young is a first year PhD student in the Department of Family Science and a Graduate Mentor for PHWB. She has previous lived abroad in Beijing, China and traveled to countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. Her research interests include interracial families, communication styles across cultures, and the development of family therapy interventions in international settings. She has completed a Masters of Art in Chinese language and culture, as well as a Masters of Science in Couples and Family Therapy. This trip to Ethiopia was her first time in visiting an African country (besides a day trip to Morocco) and she loved learning bits of Amharic, participating in coffee ceremonies, and watching donkeys walk themselves down crowded streets.

Hiwot Menbere is a retired University of Maryland Extension horticulturalist and consultant to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Women in Agriculture project in Ethiopia. Born and raised in Ethiopia, Hiwot came to Maryland with his young family in his early adulthood. He also runs the non-profit organization Good to Grow, which aims to provide school and community gardens and nutrition education as a means to improve nutrition in vulnerable Ethiopian communities. Hiwot is committed to supporting agricultural development and public health capacity-building programs in Ethiopia.

Dr. Stephanie Grutzmacher is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Science and the Faculty Advisor for the Ethiopia project. She previously worked on the Women in Agriculture project in Afghanistan, advised the PHWB Peru team, and has traveled with students to the Bahamas, Peru, and Ecuador as an Alternative Breaks advisor. Stephanie's research and outreach work focuses on innovative school and community strategies to improve dietary quality and food security in the United States and abroad.

Stay tuned for reflections from our trip!